Out This Week: Strike Suit Zero, LEGO The Hobbit, Persona 4

Sometimes things don’t always go to plan. You were supposed to be reading this article yesterday, but time seemed to elude this flustered editor’s grasp. Alas, we’re here now, with an experimental look at the coming week in PlayStation. While we enjoy talking about faraway titles as much as you (hopefully) enjoy reading about them, it can be all too easy to forget the here and now. As such, we want to compile a weekly list of new releases, outlining the biggest titles on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Vita. We’re going to try to make this as comprehensive as possible, but it’s probably worth stressing that dates do change. Alas, we’ve got our fingers crossed that you’ll glean some useful information out of this series – but do let us know your thoughts on the feature, as this is probably going to evolve over time.

The space flight genre may have exploded into a ball of TIE Fighter-esque flames years ago, but Strike Suit Zero: Director’s Cut is aiming to tether the format and drag it back into relevancy at hyper-speed. An upgraded version of Born Ready Games’ divisive intergalactic dogfighting affair, this re-release includes copious improvements over its computer-based counterpart – and looks the part to boot.

Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut PS4 ReviewWhen it's at its absolute best, Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut is a brilliantly bombastic, incredibly intense space combat game that's sure to give you wings. Complex controls, a couple of poor design choices, and some iffy mechanics can make it difficult to love, but conquering the final frontier will leave you with a sense of accomplishment that's currently unrivalled on the PS4.

Set in the faraway future, you must take control of the titular mechanical mega weapon in order to win a war that will determine the fate of the Earth and its inhabitants. Admittedly, the artwork may look like it’s been scanned directly from the box of a G1 Transformers toy, but this is an otherwise fairly original experience, allowing you to toggle between two distinct ship guises in order to settle a few outer space scores.

PS4 | 8th Apr [US], 9th Apr [EU]

Highlights

UK developer Traveller’s Tales may need to pull its finger out next year – after all, it’s already April and only two LEGO titles have deployed in 2014. Nevertheless, if you’ve been craving some more Tolkien imagined high fantasy in a format that you can actually understand, then LEGO The Hobbit is here to realise all of your plastic jewellery filled dreams.

Described by those in the know as the world’s most addictive spreadsheet, Football Manager Classic 2014 is being flaunted as something of a killer app for the Vita. While we can’t help but question its commercial impact, though, this meaty port threatens to consume your daily commute by frequently forcing you to beg the board for another game.

The original version of the game that sits most prominently upon this editor’s pile of shame, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 is widely considered to be one of the greatest Japanese role-playing games of all time. While this PS3 port of the PS2 edition lacks the enhancements incorporated into its portable re-release, it should prove an ideal alternative for those of you without a Vita in your life.